How to Export, Import, and Share a VS Code Profile
Export a VS Code profile to a GitHub gist or a local .code-profile file. Share the link with your team or import a profile from someone else in seconds.
You can export any VS Code profile as a GitHub gist for sharing or as a .code-profile file for offline use. Importing works the same way in reverse: point VS Code at a gist URL or a local file, review the contents, and create the profile.
Before you can export, create a profile first. See /vscode/how-to-create-and-switch-between-profiles-in-vs-code if you have not done that yet.
Export a profile
Open the Profiles editor
Click the Manage gear button at the bottom of the Activity Bar and select Profiles.
Find the profile you want to export
In the Profiles editor, locate the profile card. Each profile has an overflow menu (three dots) in the top-right corner of its card.
Select Export
Open the overflow menu and select Export. VS Code asks you to confirm the profile name and choose the export format.
Choose GitHub gist or local file
- GitHub gist: VS Code prompts you to sign in to GitHub if you are not already authenticated. After signing in, the profile is saved as a Secret gist. You will see a dialog with a Copy Link button. The link has the format
https://vscode.dev/editor/profile/github/{GUID}. Share this link with anyone who should have access to the profile. - Local file: A save dialog opens so you can choose where to place the file. The file has the extension
.code-profile. You can email it, store it on a shared drive, or commit it to a repository.
After exporting, you can manage your gists at https://gist.github.com/{your-username}. From there you can rename, delete, or copy the GUID of any gist.
Import a profile
Open the import dialog
In the Profiles editor, select the dropdown arrow next to the New Profile button and choose Import Profile.
Provide the source
The Import Profile dialog asks for either a GitHub gist URL or a local file path. Paste a gist URL like https://vscode.dev/editor/profile/github/{GUID} or browse to a .code-profile file on your machine.
Review the profile contents
After you select the source, the New Profile form opens with the imported contents preloaded. You can browse each category by selecting Open next to Settings, Keyboard Shortcuts, Extensions, Snippets, Tasks, and MCP Servers. Uncheck any category you do not want to import.
Preview and create
Select Preview to open a new VS Code window with the imported profile applied. Verify that the extensions, settings, and layout match your expectations. When you are ready, select Create.
The imported profile now appears in your Profiles editor alongside your existing profiles. You can switch to it, associate it with folders, and modify it like any other profile.
What gets exported and what does not
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Settings (user-scoped) | Machine-specific settings (paths, executables) |
| Keyboard shortcuts | Extension binary files |
| User snippets | Sign-in tokens and account data |
| User tasks | File history and recent workspaces |
| MCP servers configuration | |
| UI state (layout, visible views) | |
| Extension identifiers (names and publishers) |
When you import a profile, VS Code downloads the extensions from the Visual Studio Marketplace. If a paid extension is in the profile, the person importing it needs their own license.
Share a profile with your team
Sharing profiles is the fastest way to onboard a new teammate. Instead of sending a list of extensions and settings, export your team's profile to a GitHub gist and share the link.
The recipient opens the link in a browser. VS Code for the Web (vscode.dev) opens and shows the profile contents. From there they can select Import Profile in Visual Studio Code to open the profile in VS Code Desktop and complete the import.
For classrooms, educators can export a profile with the extensions and settings needed for a course and share the gist link with students. Each student imports the profile and gets an identical setup.
Use a .code-profile file for version control
If your team maintains shared tooling configurations, you can export profiles as .code-profile files and commit them to a repository. Team members pull the latest profile file and import it. This works well when you want profile changes to go through code review.
To update a shared profile, export it again and replace the old file. Importing the new version overwrites the previously imported profile.
If you plan to use this profile across multiple machines, turn on /vscode/how-to-turn-on-vs-code-settings-sync-and-choose-what-syncs so your profiles sync automatically.
Rune AI
Key Insights
- Export a profile to a GitHub gist or a local .code-profile file from the Profiles editor overflow menu.
- GitHub gists are marked Secret and shared via a vscode.dev link.
- Import a profile from a gist URL or a local .code-profile file using the Import Profile button.
- The import form lets you review and adjust the profile contents before creating it.
- Machine-specific settings are automatically excluded from exports.
Powered by Rune AIFrequently Asked Questions
What gets included when I export a profile?
Is my GitHub gist public when I export a profile?
Can I import a profile on vscode.dev without installing VS Code Desktop?
Conclusion
Exporting a profile lets you back it up, move it to another machine, or share a complete development setup with your team. Use GitHub gists for sharing via a link and local .code-profile files for offline transfers or version control.
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